Orthodontic device



J. R. M COY I 2,023,849

ORTHODONTIC DEVICE Filed Sept. 13, 1934 INVENTOR J0)? 11 (by ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 10, 1935 zszaeie PATENT OFFICE ORTHODONTIC DEVICE John R. McCoy, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Thomas J. Dec & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 13, 1934, Serial No. 743,809

1 Claim.

The present invention relates broadly to dentistry and more especially to an orthodontic device.

In orthodontic devices, it is particularly desirable to provide a construction which will apply a gentle continuous pressure in the direction which the tooth being treated is to be moved. It is also particularly desirable that the device shall be simple in form, as minute as is commensurate with the strength required, and shall be capable of adjustment from time to time to meet the changed conditions as the tooth being treated gradually moves to the desired position. It is also desirable both from the standpoint of the dentist and the manufacturer of dental devices that the device shall be of such character that it is substantially standard in form so that the same device may be used for teeth requiring difierent treatments. This obviates duplication in form and duplication of stock by the dentist.

The present invention meets the above requirements by comprising a spring sided U-shaped trough constructed with a plurality of eyelets at each end of the trough and with the trough comprising an integral portion of a band capable of attachment to the tooth being treated. This spring sided U-shaped trough is adapted to snap over and cooperate with an arch wire of suitable spring material, so that the wire may be bent in such manner that when the wire is seated in the retentive troughs 'pressure will be applied in proper direction. The eyelets at the ends of the trough form anchoring members through which ligatures may be passed and tightened over the arch wire to produce the proper corrective forces to the teeth. It is to be understood the specific disclosure herein is to be considered as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the trough members mounted upon a retaining band.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the band and the retaining trough showing an arch wire in section within the trough.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the device as applied to teeth to be treated.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of that illustrated in Fig. 3 and shows the device in its position upon teeth which require adjustment and correction.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates the preferred form of the present invention, an attachment plate I carries a trough member 2, which preferably is welded or soldered to the plate I. This trough member, preferably, has the sides thereof curved and this member is preferably resilient or springy material sothat the curved sides may spring outwardly. While the plate I and the trough-like member 2 may be made of suitable materials, the preferred material is gold and the preferred attaching means is gold solder. Adjacent the ends of the open 5 trough, there are provided a plurality of eyelets or loops 4, there being four of such eyelets shown on each trough illustrated in the drawings. The .ends of these eyelets or loops are also preferably attached to the plate I, by solder or otherwise, in such manner as to form a strong solid bond between the plate and the trough member including the eyelets. These eyelets 4 are preferably formed by cutting portions of the ends of the trough member and bending the cut portions into loops which are soldered to the band or plate I.

The attachment plate I with the trough member thereon isadapted to be secured to the teeth to be straightened, for example, teeth 5, 6, I, and 8, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Anchoring bands 9 may be secured around molar teeth I 9 and II and these anchoring bands carry anchoring tubes I2 and I4 in which the ends of an arch wire I5 are secured. The arch wire I5 preferably is of springy material which may be bent into curved forms and yet at the same time retain sufiicient elasticity so that when the arch wire is distorted from its bent form, it tends to return to normal. This arch wire may be gold, stainless steel, or other materials having the desired characteristics. The distance between the sides of the trough-like member 2 is such that the arch wire may be snapped into position in the troughs and the elasticity of the side walls of the troughs will hold the wire within the troughs even though only a portion of a trough and wire are in engagement. This usually occurs where a rotation of the tooth being treated is desired and the tendency of the trough to snap fully upon the wire due to the resilient sides of the trough assists in establishing rotation in the desired direction in which the tooth is being corrected.

The attachment plates I with the trough members 2 thereon are set upon the teeth being treated. The arch wire I5 is brought into place over the troughs. Preferably, the side portions I6 and I! of the arch wire I5 are set slightly away from the teeth so as to provide for movement of the arch wire relative to the teeth being treated to permit the wire to be snapped over and into the trough members 2. When the arch wire I5 is in place in the trough members 2, ligatures I8 may be passed through eyelets 4 and over the arch wire I 5 to establish a rotative force tending to rotate a tooth which is being treated,

as for example, the teeth 5, 6, and 8 (Fig. 4). Where a tooth, such as tooth I (Fig. 4), is back of the position it should. occupy so that a forward movementto the tooth is desired, ligatures I8 may be passed through the eyelets 4 at both ends of the trough member 2 and the arch wire l5 may be set slightly forward to the tooth so that when the ligatures are tightened, a forward movement will be applied to the tooth.

The construction is such that adjustments may be made from time to time and the arch wire may be snapped and unsnapped from the troughlike members by cutting the ligatures and reattaching the same to make the desired adjustments as the treatment progresses. 7

When the tooth has been moved into its proper relationship with other teeth, the use of ligatures is no longer necessary as the arch wire is snapped into a self retentive trough. In this way, the tooth is held in position until the forces which might tend to return it to its former abnormal relationship are no longer active.

While the drawing has been made of such size as to clearly illustrate the invention, the actual construction is of relatively small size so as to be as inconspicuous as possible commensurate with strength and adjustability required during treatment.

What I claim is:

An orthodontic device comprising a plate adapted to be secured to a tooth being treated, a trough member on said plate, and eyelets integral with said trough member and adjacent to and beyond the ends of the trough portion of said member.

JOHN R. MCCOY. 

